Arrays of electrical connectors are utilized in electronics bays of aircraft for example for integrating the wiring throughout all of the electrical systems of the aircraft including power, control, detection, indication, radio reception and transmission and so on, and for interconnecting such systems with each other and especially with black boxes for controlling or sensing. Cables of electrical conductors extend from such systems to the electronics bay in bundles or harnesses terminated thereat by electrical connectors matable with corresponding connectors in banks or arrays in a wire integration panel at the electronics bay. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,583; 4,778,411 and 4,864,721 for example such electrical connectors may be single row modular plug connectors matable with modular receptacle connectors mounted on the panel. Typically the plug modules may be arranged in sets of two or five to be handled as a unit defining two or five rows of electrical contacts, and matable with corresponding receptacle connectors in the array having two or five rows of matable contacts. Each of the rows of contacts includes a keying system for physically encoding the row so that only the appropriate plug module can be inserted in the appropriate row of the receptacle connector.
Mating connectors typically have a means for fastening themselves together upon being mated, such as by integral latches or by spring clips as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,583. Especially in high vibration environments such as aircraft it is generally desirable for each module to include such a latch at each end to retain itself mated to the receptacle connector, or where the modules are ganged together for the multi-module unit to be latched to the receptacle connector at a plurality of locations at each end for vibration resistance, to assure that the connectors remain fully mated at all contact locations.
It is desirable for the means latching a module or multi-module unit to be easily delatched at both ends simultaneously for removal such as during repair or servicing.
It is further desirable for the means latching a multi-module unit to a receptacle connector to enable quick delatching for unmating the connectors, thus not requiring individual delatching of the latches at each of the multiple sites along each end.
It is also desirable for the means latching the modules and multi-module units in the receptacle connectors of an array to remain latched at all latch sites while permitting easy delatching of modules at only selected sites, thus assuring that all nearby connectors remain mated while the selected module or multi-module unit is removed such as for repair of servicing.
It is yet further desirable for the latching means to define a low profile permitting bundles of conductors to be routed close the the connector array for dense packing of multiple connector arrays in an electronics bay, and also not obstruct access to or removal and replacement of connectors of an array.
It is similarly desirable for the latching means to define a narrow profile permitting dense packing of adjacent connector arrays.
It is also further desirable for the latching means to include means for ejecting a module or multi-module unit from the receptacle connector at least a certain distance to enable manual or tool-assisted gripping of the module or multi-module unit from amid the adjacent modules closely spaced therefrom, for complete removal from the array.
It is additionally desirable for the latching means to be rugged and durable.